This invention relates generally to the field of solar energy collection systems, and in particular to an improved header of increased efficiency for use in connection with such systems.
Recent realizations that alternative energy sources to fossil fuels must be developed have caused substantial efforts to be made in developing a commercially acceptable solar energy collection system. An essential component of any solar energy collection system being the solar collector panel, a substantial amount of effort has been expanded in the development of this element of the system. The headers used to connect such a collector panel to the remainder of the system are generally designed to properly complement the collector panel with which they are used.
Initial efforts to develop a useful solar collector panel often resulted in heavy, cumbersome structures involving the use of several, often incompatible, construction materials. This problem was particularly acute in the design of an acceptable flat plate type solar collector panel.
The flat plate type collector panel is generally more compatible with large structures, such as homes or offices, lending themselves well to the solar heating of air or water for use in the home or office, of water for distillation purposes, and even of water for use in heating a swimming pool. This compatability results from the existence on all buildings of large flat areas, such as the roof or walls, upon which such flat plate type collector panels may be mounted.
Although well suited for use in connection with a building, flat plate type collector panels had not yet found wide commercial acceptance for various reasons. Moreover, the cost of producing an efficient and workable collector panel often far outweighed its return, seriously limiting acceptance of such collectors by the public.
My patent application, Ser. No. 645,648, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses a flat plate type solar collector panel which serves to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks thus enabling production of a commercially acceptable solar thermal energy collection system. This is accomplished by providing a solar collector panel which is unitary in construction and which is capable of being produced in long, lightweight and continuous sections. In this manner entire portions of a structure may be covered with a series of such panels thereby enabling the conversion of sufficient amounts of solar thermal energy to provide for the heating needs of a consumer. Also disclosed is a header which is well adapted for use with such unitary collector panels.
The unitary collector panels disclosed are produced by coextruding a selected combination of synthetic thermoplastics into long panels having at least insulating and heat absorbing layers along their entire length. In this manner the previously required combination of construction materials is replaced by a single unit requiring no individual construction or separate parts. The resulting units are lightweight which permits their easy installation and also permits large surface areas of a structure to be completely utilized without requiring substantial shoring of the underlying structural members. The unit is also capable of being produced in large sizes and quantities, decreasing both the cost of such units as well as the costs of installation and labor. The headers used in connection with such collector panels may also be advantageously extruded in long, lightweight and continuous sections, thus providing similar advantages.
Although the above described unitary solar collector panels, and the headers adapted for use therewith, are well suited to solving the problems presented in converting solar energy into heat, it has been found that certain aspects of those components are capable of improvement, further enhancing the utility and potential for public acceptace of the resulting solar energy collection system.
On such aspect concerns the particular configuration of the header used in connection with such collector panels, and its effect on the efficiency of the over-all system.
For example, it has been found that heated fluid, passing through the header, exhibits a limited degree of heat loss, through the header to the outside elements. Moreover, fluid which is allowed to directly flow between the collector panel and the header has been found to exhibit a limited degree of turbulence, thereby reducing the efficiency of the over-all system. These losses may be reduced by suitably modifying the structure of the header.
Such a header configuration would also have applicability in connection with other types of collector panels as well.